Council rejects appeals after Upminster residents given parking tickets moving their cars to allow for street parties.

Upminster residents are angry after their parking ticket appeals have been rejected by Havering Council. The residents who live on quiet back streets, were given parking tickets after moving their cars to allow space for platinum jubilee celebration street parties to take place.

The street parties took place over the additional bank holiday days Thursday and Friday and residents moved their vehicles to allow extra space for everyone to enjoy the special street parties.

Yet first thing Saturday morning, despite these Upminster roads being quiet residential areas, parking wardens were back ticketing cars.

Ward councillor for the area Councillor Oscar Ford told the Havering Daily:

“This was first highlighted on social media, with Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) having been issued in Winchester Avenue and Ashvale Gardens. Residents contacted me to say that they felt that this was unfair and that they intended to appeal the PCNs.  I raised the matter with the Parking Enforcement Service on the 4th June and requested that strong consideration be given to accepting resident appeals given the special celebratory nature of the occasion. 

“I also asked for feedback regarding any special instructions that might have been  issued to the enforcement operatives regarding the exceptional arrangements in place for street closures over the holiday weekend, as residents were concerned that this may have been a deliberate targeting of their roads.

“The responses that I have received from the Council are that:

 ‘The guidance issued for street parties in Havering states on page 5 that It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure they adhere to any parking restrictions or permit schemes when finding alternative parking.  Therefore any vehicles parked within any restriction may have been issued with a Penalty Charge Notice. With regard to challenges being received and reviewed by Havering an officer will investigate the merits of a contravention and determine objectively the validity of the contravention.’ 

A copy of the guidance is linked to this webpage: https://www.havering.gov.uk/info/20096/community/868/the_queen_s_platinum_jubilee In relation to the question regarding targeting and any special instructions to enforcement officers I have been advised that ‘no special instructions were given; enforcement was as usual for holidays /weekends’.

“Residents who have had their appeals turned down do have the right to seek independent adjudication through the London Tribunals Environment and Traffic Adjudication service.”

Further details can be found here: https://www.londontribunals.gov.uk/eat